


Drift Uncertanties

by OrdainedCrownie



Series: Pacific Role: Critical Rim [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series), Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 03:10:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8951605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrdainedCrownie/pseuds/OrdainedCrownie
Summary: For the first time since her incident Vex steps into the Jaeger and memories of the horrors come flooding back to her and Percy is there to keep her on her feet.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Once Percy recovers from his injuries he is left without a co-pilot since Cassandra is now unable to pilot a Jaeger with him trials are held for drift compatibility. Percy rejects everyone that are possible candidates, even the twins until Cassandra basically forces Vex’s results into his hands. He begrudgingly allows Cassandra to have Vex trial with him.
> 
> He had known Vex for a while and had known that the elf had similar capabilities in the field. Their fathers had known each other for years before the program so it made sense that they would have similar synergy. As they ran through combat, mental and tactical trials Percy began to see why Cassandra had recommended Vex to him for drift compatibility.
> 
> They became almost competitive about the trials as Vex was determined to not only prove she was strong enough but to also wipe the smirk of Percy’s face when he saw her results. While he just edged her out on the tactical trial, they were level for mental (which Percy discovered later on they had more in common than he realised initially) and she just edged him out on the combat trial when they had been set to fire ranged targets.
> 
> As Percy found out later when they fought together in the field that it wasn’t just her prowess that he was impressed by.

Vex pulled on the suit even though it pulled on wounds that had long disappeared but still hurt her more than she realised. She pulled on the boots which were no longer covered in blood and mud, now clean and pristine. She pulled on the gloved that actually covered her hand as opposed to ripped to shreds and thread hanging uselessly from her suit.

 

Finally, she pulled on the helmet the visor no longer black and blood ridden or cracked with shards of glass siting in the rims. She made her way to Jaegers cockpit psyching herself through it as she tried to keep memories at bay. She passed by engineers who gave her a nod or a smile in encouragement as she entered the room, seeing Percy already suited up as engineers had begun to plug him into the machine.

 

As soon as her foot hit the congregated iron floor of the Jaeger memories from the drift flooded into her mind once again.

 

She heard the screeching of metal rattle almost sound shattering in her ears, the feeling of being thrown around when the Kaiju had sent them off their feet. Remembering hearing Vax shouting at her or cursing as he made a final ditched effort to save them. Remembering a large clawed paw reach into the cockpit and pull her away. Now she was watching it from Vax’s point of view watching herself be flung the cockpit, her limp body almost a ragdoll as it was thrown aside.

 

She could feel her bother crying for her and with mixed anger he swung towards the Kaiju catching its maw before he ejected himself.   She watched his vision follow his dangerous journey to find her, avoiding getting hit by the other Jaeger as it fought the Kaiju, keeping it a bay as Vax found the wreckage, diving in to get to her.

 

He felt his stomach drop when he found her arm sticking out awkwardly from the wreckage. She felt the mixed emotions of relief but worry as the Jaeger now helped pull the wreckage apart.

 

She now saw her broken body barely alive form the impact, shattered glass of the visor littering her face, blood pouring from her forehead her clothes ripped to shreds. Vax collected her in his arms and cried more than he had ever before, curling her tightly even as she saw Vax look up to see two large Jaeger hands enclose around them.

 

Her vision returned as engineers bumped past her and Percy was now staring back at her, watching her curiously as she stood rooted on the spot.

 

“I’m sorry I can’t do this.” Vex turned on her heel yanking her helmet from her head and tossing it aside as she walked away, leaving it to skitter along the grating. She heard a commotion behind her as feet pounded the floor until a hand caught her elbow stopping her in her tracks.

 

“Wait!” Percy skidded in front of her, bracing his hands on her forearms, holding her still. She avoided his gaze even as he waited for her to eventually meet his eyes, bright blue eyes glancing back her with concern.

 

“Vex…” Percy began but Vex pulled free of his grasp and he let his hands fall to his sides.

 

“I’m sorry I can’t do this. I thought I was strong enough.” She tried to push past him but he flung his arm out, catching her before she could dodge around him. Her hand wrapped around his wrist and elbow but made no move to go around him. He hadn’t really blocked her off, knowing she would’ve been quick enough to avoid him but now she seemed like a shadow of herself, no longer having the drive to do anything other than wallow in self-pity at her inability to prevent herself from being injured like before.

 

“You are strong enough Vex. You need to believe in yourself that you can do this.”

 

‘I wish I could-“

 

“What happened to the woman who didn’t take no for answer? Or the woman who would stand up to those that tried to push you down?  The woman who cared so much for those around her that she would do anything to protect them?”

 

“She’s gone Percy. The moment _it_ -“

 

“That’s a lie.” Percy interrupted and Vex let her hands from his arm, hanging uselessly at her side. “You are so much more than this. If you want to protect those that you love, then I need you. I need you in the right headspace so if you are not willing to do this then you can walk right out this door and you will never come back. You can tell those in Syngorn that you failed them. That you couldn’t bring yourself to protect them. Do you really wish to have your father see you like this? Looking down on you like he did all those years ago?”

 

He hated being this cynical to her but he knew it was the only way to convince her and if it wasn’t enough then he wasn’t sure what could be done. The rest of it had to be left up to her to decide.

 

Vex clenched her fists at her side as she stewed, staring angrily at the ground.  Her hand then suddenly flew up gripping his ascot but he had been prepared for this sort of reaction allowing her to yank him down to her level. She seethed, gripping onto his ascot a little tighter than necessary.

 

“How dare you.”  Percy remained calm, placing his hand over hers, loosening her grip just a little.

 

“I make no apologies Vex’ahlia but I will not allow you to pull yourself down when there is so much at stake here. We need you just as much as you need us but if you choose to leave you know where I stand.” Vex glared at him for a long while before sighing heavily, her hand slipping from his neck.

 

She shuffled on the spot before looking back at Percy with a wry smile. “You make it very hard to know whether I should slap you or hug you.”

 

Percy chuckled, scratching the stubble on along his jaw. “I seem to have that effect on people.”

 

Vex giggled before she rose on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek much to Percy’s surprise, his hand stilling against his jaw.

 

“Thank you.” She pulled away, grinning at the blank expression written across Percy’s face. She watched with satisfaction, as he seemed to process the kiss and his cheeks heated briefly before he composed himself, almost embarrassed that he hadn’t expected it.

 

He cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses without needing to. It was something she had picked up as one of his nervous quirks so it was joyful to see him nervous.

 

“You are most welcome.” He managed eventually before gesturing towards the cockpit. “Shall we?”

 

Vex huffed playfully, smacking his gestured hand but nonetheless turned on her heel, collecting her discarded helmet to make her way to her station.


End file.
